Bae's Offer
by dancefan93
Summary: What happens when Rumple sees that Belle hasn't been herself and asks Bae to help? What happens when Bae comes up with a solution for the problem? Let me know if I should continue or not. I'm not sure what to do.
1. Chapter 1

Baelfire watched his step-mother closely. Rumple had carefully hinted that Belle just wasn't herself. Now, Bae saw what he meant. When they went into town, Bae saw as she watched a child with longing eyes and a sad smile.

"Belle, have you been feeling alright lately?" Bae asked once that had sat down on a bench.

"Hm, oh, yes I've been fine Baelfire."

"Baelfire? You never call me Baelfire. It's always Bae or Neal." Bae commented confused. It didn't bother him that Belle called him Baelfire; it just threw him through a loop because she never ever used his full name.

"Sorry. I'll call you Bae or Neal then."

"Belle, are you sure you're okay?" Belle just nodded. "Okay, ready to head back?" Belle nodded again. Baw stood up and held his hand out for Belle. She gently took it and they walked back to the salmon house. When they arrived, Belle went back upstairs to her and Rumple's room. Rumple turned to his son.

"Well?"

"Nothing. She didn't say anything. But, I think I might know what's wrong. When we went into town, she looked at every child with longing eyes and a sad smile. She wants a baby." Rumple closed his eyes and sighed.

"That's why she's been like this. We've been trying for a while and Belle went to the doctor a few days ago and it turns out she can't have children. I had no idea it was affecting her that greatly. I've offered the possibility of adoption but Belle says that while she'll love the child as her own, she doesn't want Henry's situation to fall on us. How he went out and found Emma. She doesn't want to lose the child to their biological parents." Bae nodded knowing how Regina fells every time Henry spends time with him or Emma.

"What about a surrogate mother? It would still be her and your baby someone else would just carry it for nine months."

"And there lies the problem. I suggested that as well; however, because Belle is who she is, she says she wouldn't feel right taking a child away from someone how carried it for nine months."

"This is where Belle's too-kind-to-be-normal behavior gets to be annoying. What does she want to do?" Rumple gripped his cane tightly and turned towards the stairs once more to check if Belle was there.

"She wants me to use magic on her. She wants to be cast a spell on her that while make it possible for her to carry at least one child to term. She was pregnant a few months ago but ten weeks in she lost the baby."

"Why don't you want to do that?"

"I don't want to use magic on her. Magic always comes with a price and the last person I want to pay that price is Belle."

"I know what you mean. She has reddest heart in all the realms."

"Exactly. I don't want to taint her with magic."

"I'll pay the price." Rumple looked at Bae. "Whatever the price is, I'll pay it if it means Belle gets to have a child."

"Bae…"

"No, just listen. She's been more of a mother to me than Milah ever was. She deserves to get one thing she wants. I'll pay whatever price it is I'll pay it."

"It's not that simple. To create a life with magic you need to take away a life."

"Papa…"

"No, Bae. I'm not losing you again. I just found out after countless years. I'm not losing you again."

"And I'm not letting you do it." They both turned to see Belle standing in the doorway.

"Sweetheart, you're up." Belle nodded and walked over to Bae. She took his hands.

"Thank you for the offer Bae but I'm not letting you literally give up your life just so I can have a baby."

"Belle…"

"Baelfire I forbid it!" Belle said sternly. Bae was slightly shocked by this. Belle had never once tried to tell him what to do and now she forbade him to do something.

"You deserve this."

"And what about your father? He spent countless years, made countless deals, and used every ounce of magic he could to find you. That's all just supposed to be wasted?"

"I'm doing this for you and for Papa."

"You're not doing this. Baelfire, you're not doing this. Do you understand me?" Belle looked deep into his eyes as she was trying to look into his soul. He sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"I understand." Belle nodded, let go of his hands, and turned to walk away. "Mama." Belle stopped in her tracks. Rumple looked at his son. "I understand completely Mama. I won't disobey you." Belle's body shock once then she ran from the room. Bae stood in his spot with a smile.

"Bae…"

"I'm not a baby but I just gave her a child." Rumple smiled and hugged his son. Bae hugged his Papa back. "I think I have an idea. Do you still have to de-aging potion? The one you wanted to use on me when the day you found me in New York."

"Yes, but why?"

"Tweak it. Tweak to make me an infant. Belle will have a baby and no one loses their life."

"No one loses their life? Bae, you'll lose the life you know. You won't know Henry as your son, are you really willing to give that up?"

"But I won't feel as if you abandoned me because as far as I'll know you didn't. This is for you too Papa. You'll get a second chance at raising me."

"Bae, nothing would make me happier than to get a second chance with you and not make all the mistakes I did but not at expense of your memories."

"Can you do it?"

"Of course I can do it…"

"Then call me when it's ready. I'll be waiting." Bae left the house without another word. Rumple ran his hand through his hair. He went to find Belle. He found her in the kitchen.

"Did Bae leave?"

"Yes, did you hear any of that?"

"A good portion. You have a good son, Rumple with a good heart but he can't do that. Not for me."

"I told him that. He won't remember anything."

"I know how much you want a second chance with him but I also know you don't want it like that."

"Not even in my dreams. I was going to change him back to fourteen again but now that he's giving me the chance to make him an infant again, Belle, I can't."

"I know you can't Rumple. I would never ask you to do that for me anyway."

"Oh dearest, I know. I can't believe he would willingly do this."

"I know. You're trying to struggle with the fact that he would do this and I'm trying to struggle with that fact that he called me Mama."

"That was unexpected on me and you." Rumple looked at his wife. "He told me that you're a better mother to him than Milah ever was." Belle smiled and hugged his waist. Rumple wrapped his arms around her.

"I want to talk to him. He left with the implication that you would call him when that potion is ready. I need to talk to him about why you're not doing that." Rumple kissed her head and let go.

"Go ahead. Go talk to our son."

"I love it when you call him our son. Even when he's not here." Belle sweetly kissed him and left the kitchen then the house. She went to the Bed and Breakfast knowing that Neal was still staying there. She knocked on his door and waited for him open it.

"Hey, what's going on?" Belle smiled before throwing her arms around his neck. Bae's arm instinctively wrapped around her. "Um, why?"

"I heard you talk to your father. While I love you for what you're offering once again, I can't let you do this either."

"Mama, please, don't start with this." Bae let go of her and flopped on his bed. "This is what I'm doing. I want this for you and for Papa."

"Bae, you don't have to do this."

"Mama, I'm doing this with or without Papa's help. Regina will gladly make Papa's life more difficult with a child."

"Baelfire, please, I'm begging you. Maybe there's a reason I can't have children. Maybe I'm not meant to be a mother."

"Belle, you are the kindest person I know. If anyone deserves to be a mother it's you."

"But I already have a son. I have you." Belle said. "I didn't get to raise you but that's what makes you, you."

"Don't you wonder how I would turn out if I had a mother who actually wanted to spend time with me, who wanted to be my mother and didn't see me as a burden?"

"Bae, I will always be here for you but that doesn't mean that I need to have raised you."

"Belle, just listen to me. Everything will be fine. By the end of next week, you and my dad will have a baby." He gently pushed her out of the room. Belle stood outside her son's door unsure of what to do next. Should she go back home or should she try more to persuade him not to do this? She decided to go home and maybe Rumple would think of something.

"Did you have any luck?"

"No. He's one stubborn man, Rumple. His final words were that you and I will have a baby by the end of next week."

"Okay so I have a week to come up with a plan on how to stop this."

"He said that he was going to do this with or without your help. He said that he would ask Regina."

"Regina? I know for some reason those two have become close but why would he ask her for help? Maybe I can split the difference. I can create a potion that will turn him into an infant for a short period of time say a week or a weekend, then when the potion wears off he turns back into an adult and we never speak of this again."

"I don't know if he'll go for that. It's worth a shot though." Rumple nodded in agreement and went to the basement to start working on the potion. Belle sighed sadly and went over on the mantle. She picked up a picture of Henry when he was about three years old. Mr. Gold had gotten Henry for Regina and therefore had an attachment to the child and was constantly in his life. She smiled as a small tear leaked down her face. She wiped it away and put the picture back. She knew just as everyone did that the only missing in her life was a baby that was both hers and Rumple's. Bae's offer had touched her heart, but she didn't want a baby by magic.

Rumple had called Bae a week later telling him he had a potion. Bae had rushed over thinking it was the potion he had asked for.

"It is and it isn't." Rumple replied. "This potion will turn you into an infant for a short period of time. Let's say a week. You drink this, you turn into an infant, Belle and I take care of you for a week, you turn back into an adult, and we never talk of this again. Deal?"

"So what? Belle gets to have a child for a week then has it ripped away from her."

"Bae, it doesn't matter whether you're a baby or an adult, you're still my son." Belle said.

"This is the only thing keeping you from being happy."

"I don't need this. All I need is my family." Belle said. "I would be lying if I said that I didn't want a baby but there's a reason I can't have children. I don't know what that reason is but I don't need you to give up the life you know for me."

"You deserve to be a mother. If anyone does it's you."

"Bae, listen to me please. I still consider you my son. It wouldn't matter if you fourteen or forty when your father found you I'm still your mom and you're still my son. You can drink that potion if you want to but don't do it because you think is what I want. Do it because it's what you want." Belle tried to reason with him. Bae looked at the potion in his father's hand.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll drink that potion and after this week, you'll start looking at adoption agencies. I know you're scared about the same situation with Henry but not every kid is as smart or manipulative as Henry. He gets that from you Papa. Anyway, you need to take the chance either adoption or surrogate mother. I could even ask Emma to do it."

"I can promise I will think about it during the week."

"Good enough." Bae took the potion and drank it. A purple cloud engulfed him and when it cleared, there was a baby being covered by Bae's shirt. Rumple slowly walked over to the bundle of clothes with tears in his eyes. He bent down and picked up the baby along with the shirt covering him.

"Hello Bae. Your Papa's here." He walked over to Belle who had the same tears in her eyes seeing Bae as a child. "And here's your Mama." Belle took Bae out of Rumple's arms and looked at him.

"Hello Bae." She chocked back a sob and held him close to her chest. "I'm your Mama; I promise I'll never disappoint you." Rumple smiled through his tears. He pulled them both into his arms. He closed his eyes hoping that if this was a dream he would never wake up. He had his son, his wife, what more could he possibly ask for?


	2. Chapter 2

Belle sat in the kitchen feeding Bae with a bottle of formula Rumple had conjured up. She still couldn't believe she was holding her son.

"You look like a natural."

"I don't know how, he's the first baby I've ever held or fed." Belle said not taking her eyes off Bae. "Will he remember anything?"

"He won't remember but he'll feel different towards us. Whether it's good or bad will be how we treat him throughout this week."

"Well if you're implying I'll be a terrible parent, you don't need to worry about that. I have no idea what I'm doing but neither do most first time parents. I'll learn on the job."

"I'll be there for you. I have to learn again as well." Rumple said as he took Bae to burp him. Belle smiled as she watched him. After Bae finally burped, Rumple brought him into the living where he had transformed it into the most kid friendly area and already had a bunch of toys from this world for Bae to play with. Rumple had tweaked the potion so Bae would turn into a child and be a child for his first birthday. His birthday was in three days. "Belle, we need to play a first birthday."

"What?"

"Bae's birthday is in three days. We need to plan a party. It'll be his first birthday technically." Belle smiled.

"I don't know how to plan a party. What did you and Milah do for his first back in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Milah went to the pub and I spent the day with him. I wasn't always the Dark One Belle. Until Bae was fourteen I was a poor spinner."

"Well, now we have people who care about Bae. We can have a party for him here. Invite, Emma and Henry of course, Snow, Charming, Ruby, Granny, Archie, Cinderella, Thomas, Lexi…"

"I don't think Cinderella and/or Thomas would agree to come here. She and I sort of had a deal for Lexi and she got out of it because Emma made a deal with me."

"I know, she told me. She's forgiven you. So has Thomas."

"If they'd like to come they can. I promise I won't try to take Lexi." Belle smiled and rattled off some more names. "So you really think all these people will come?"

"I do."

"Don't you want to invite your father?"

"Not until he can learn to accept you and I together." Belle said. Rumple sighed. "Hey, it's his own fault he'll never see me again. You're my husband and he needs to understand that."

"I just don't understand how he wouldn't even come to his only child's wedding."

"Charming did a wonderful job walking me down the aisle. I promise I'm fine. Now, back to the party." Belle started to rattle off some ideas for Rumple to choose from and all he could do was smile at Belle. Belle spent the rest of the day planning the party. She had found out a theme fairly quickly and she went with it. She had decided that "Baby's first" was good idea. She would also video tape the whole thing. Rumple wished he hadn't made Bae this way so close to his birthday because now Belle was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. He was impressed at how she was planning the party. By the time it was time for the party, the house had been completely transformed into a party house and Belle still found time to spend time with Bae and be a mother to him. Sometimes she even had him into the same room with her while she decorated having him in a baby holder strapped to her chest.

"I could take him Belle. I know you have a lot to do still."

"No, I'm not pushing him aside like Milah did. He's not in the way, he's fine. Look, he's sleeping anyway." Belle said turning so Rumple could see Bae had dozed off.

"It was probably the music you have playing in here. I could go to sleep where I'm standing." Rumple said yawning.

"That was the point. It's his naptime." Belle replied pointing to the clock. Rumple looked over and saw that it was indeed Bae's naptime. "I've been thinking about what Bae made me promise. I want to look at adoption agencies. I think I know why Bae is pushing this so much. It has a little bit to do with the fact that he thinks I deserve it, I think it's also that he wants a little sibling to spoil." Rumple laughed.

"That could be it. He tries to spoil Henry but Henry's almost fourteen and knows all the tricks." Belle nodded and looked at Bae. She had a sad smile on her face as she ran her hand over his head that a little swirl of dark hair on it. "Hey, look at me. We'll get a baby. I promise." Belle nodded and wiped a tear that escaped from her eye when she blinked.

"Are you disappointed?"

"For what?"

"That we can't have our own child?" Belle asked. Rumple looked at her.

"What are you asking me Belle?"

"Don't you want to be with someone who can give you a child?" Rumple took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers being mindful of his son that was between them.

"There's a reason you can break my curse Belle. I don't care if we can't have our own child, I love you and I always will."

"If we were back home, you'd never touch me."

"We're not back home and I love you for who you are not what those royals think you should be."

"I was one of those royals."

"Correct, but you never one to follow the crowd. You were the only princess I ever met that wanted to read instead of find handsome suitors." Belle rolled her eyes.

"You mean like Gaston? Ugh, I couldn't stand him. I was only to going marry him because it's what my father wanted. Like I told you, I could never give my heart to someone as superficial as he." Belle said as Bae started to move. She looked down as Bae opened his eyes. "Well, look who's up. I hope you had a good nap because it's almost time for your party. Let's get you dressed in your special outfit."

"Are you ever going to tell me what this outfit is?"

"You'll see soon enough? I'll take care of Bae you go make sure everything is set." Rumple nodded and walked out of the room. "Papa's going to be so surprised. I hope he'll like it. Okay, let's get you into your outfit." Belle said to Bae as she took him out of the baby carrier and placed him on the bed. She took off the carrier and bent backwards to stretch her back out. "Those things are not comfortable. Okay, let's get you dressed." She went into the closet and took the tiny three piece suit outfit she had gotten for Bae. "Do you think Papa will like it?" Bae made a face. "Well, I think so." She got him dressed in it and took a picture. Bae made a face that just said 'wait til I have some food in me. I'm going to spit up all over his monkey suit.' Belle laughed at his face and rubbed her nose to his.

"Belle, the guests are arriving." Rumple called up. Belle picked up Bae and walked down the stairs. Rumple turned and stood frozen when he saw his son. "Belle, what have you done to my son?"

"He's dressed like his Papa."

"I think that's the fanciest thing I've ever seen Neal in." Emma said looking at the suit. Henry looked at his father and turned his head to the side.

"I guess he looks okay. But it's his first birthday; he's bound to get messy."

"I'll take off the suit before we start with his cake. I thought it was cute." Belle said shrugging and turned to go put him in the excer-saucer (that's what I've always known them as. The thing for babies that bounce and they have toys on them, Bae's in one of those things). The rest of the guests arrived and the party started.


End file.
